Pa. Attorney General warns of eclipse glasses scam

Authorities are warning Pennsylvanians to beware of scammers selling bogus protective glasses in advance of next Monday’s solar eclipse.

“Do your research to make sure the glasses you buy will thoroughly protect your eyes and allow you to safely view the solar eclipse,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement.

The total solar eclipse will leave a sliver of the country in darkness, and the moon will cover 97% of the sun in the Pittsburgh region. The peak spectacle will last up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds.

During a solar eclipse, the moon lines up perfectly between the Earth and sun, blotting out the sunlight. Officials in Erie, which is in the path of total darkness, are preparing for an onslaught of visitors.

Local doctors talked to TribLive last week about the importance of proper eye protection during the event.

Legitimate glasses have special filters to protect your eyes, but scammers have been capitalizing on consumer demand, according to Henry and the American Astronomical Society. Both offered tips to make sure glasses are legit:

• They should be marked with an international safety standard on the frame — certification number ISO 12312-2 or ISO 12312-2:2015. But you should still be wary, because scammers can use the code without having their glasses tested.

• If you got a pair of eclipse glasses from an astronomer or an astronomy club or science center, they’re likely safe.

• Check out the American Astronomical Society’s list of verified suppliers https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters.

• Don’t purchase glasses at the lowest price from online marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay without vetting the supplier.

Any Pennsylvanian who believes they bought a fake pair of solar eclipse glasses can contact the consumer protection hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or email scam@attorneygeneral.gov.

Renatta Signorini is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.